"For the 2026 Grammys, the Recording Academy's Best New Artist category honors musicians who achieve a prominent public breakthrough during the eligibility year, having released at least five singles or one album in their career. The Academy's updated rules now allow artists previously featured on an Album of the Year nominee to compete for Best New Artist, provided their contribution to that album was under 20 percent of its playing time."
"Historically, the Best New Artist category has sparked frequent debate because many nominees are already fairly established by the time they receive a nod, having released albums and built sizable followings well before their Grammy breakthrough. Recent nominees like Sabrina Carpenter or Khruangbin exemplify this pattern, with Carpenter releasing five albums over the past decade and Khruangbin debuting in 2015, yet both only now being recognized as 'new' due to their career-defining surge in public recognition during the eligibility period."
"Last year, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. clarified that the essence of the category is less about a literal debut and more about honoring that pivotal "breakthrough year" where artists rise to national or international prominence, regardless of how long they've been active. Last year's Best New Artist winner was Chappell Roan. The 2026 Grammy Awards will take place on February 1st, 2026 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles."
Nominees for the 2026 Grammy Awards were revealed, including finalists for Best New Artist. KATSEYE, The Marías, Lola Young, Olivia Dean, Addison Rae, sombr, Leon Thomas, and Alex Warren are among the Best New Artist nominees. The Recording Academy's Best New Artist category honors musicians who achieve a prominent public breakthrough during the eligibility year after releasing at least five singles or one album. Updated rules allow artists previously featured on an Album of the Year nominee to compete if their contribution was under 20 percent of the album's playing time. Previous major recognition or Grammy performance nominations generally disqualify artists unless they were featured artists before meeting the release threshold.
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